Pages of Time
by kaihil lover
Summary: Kai and Hilary's friendship isn't as smooth as it used to be. Constant bickering has become a must. They must work together on their job assignment, guess having Kenny as their in charge wasn't a good idea. Kai X Hil
1. The Meeting Before Apocalyptic Chaos

_**Pages of Time**_

_**Chapter 1: The Meeting Before Apocalyptic Chaos**_

I sigh as I look over the screen in the dark. Five hours of looking at these useless statistics, all I can see now are jumbled numbers on screen. Kenny's voice is like a buzzing in my ear, monotonous, tedious, repetitive and annoying. He's been getting all hyper and jumpy. He's dissatisfied by all we've accomplished in these past five years. He says we've made little progress, gotten into more trouble and wasted more money, then achieved anything, and the sole reason for which is that we all are persistent to behave as children.

Right, sure, and I'm dissatisfied by the fact I had to fly all the way from Russia to listen to this; also very dissatisfied, by the fact that I have to sit between Hiromi and Tyson.

I can see that the others are just as fed up as I am. Hiromi is giving Kenny death glares, but still listening to every word with interest, she also seems to be at times glaring at everyone else for not having enough will power to suffer inhumane torture like her, when there is no need to, just because it's the principal of the thing.

Tala is staring at the screen with glazed eyes. I can bet his mind is somewhere far from this room, probably at a strip club.

Miriam is still leaning against the wall after an hour of having told us to get our asses out of the building, she has to lock up. See, the HQ of our little organization is the top floor of the BBA which is clearly a huge pain in the ass for Miriam. She has managed to step in Mr. Dickenson's shoes very well. Not that anyone could take the old man's place, I can never forget all he had done for me and the other Blitzkrieg Boys.

Tyson and Daichi are sleeping. I can see the drool on the table. I sigh yet again, how has anyone not snapped at chief yet? Enrique is texting someone, probably a slut. Salima and Emily are texting, each other, by the looks of it, probably can't find anyone awake since it's nearly_ midnight_! Max is either doodling or playing tick tack toe, can't really make out in the dark.

Ming Ming is, uh, she is having Brooklyn file her nails. Okay, resist urge to slam head on wall. Why did the two of them join? Yes, they wanted revenge on people like Boris. Well, Brooklyn did anyways. Who knows about the pop bitch….I suppress a chuckle as I think of Hiromi's name for Ming Ming.

Okay hold up; have to get Hiromi out of my mind. Not that it's completely possible since we meet every once in a while, talk on the phone every day; I usually get up to her phone call and go to sleep with hers only despite living continents apart, for all I know, we could be still living in the dojo together for how much time we spend listening to each other's bitching. It's been ages since we were close friends, now it's more about bitching on each other and getting our work done, and the occasional heart to heart moving conversation which again ends with one of us insulting the other.

All of this doesn't mean that I have to think of her all the time. Why can't I stop thinking about her? Right now, there was no point of thinking of her, sure she's next to me, and it was her nickname I was using, but still. But her words and time I spend with her seem to terrorize my brain every waking second, and often the ones in which I'm unawake too.

_Ian's_ two cent on the case is that Hiromi is like a virus that has infected the hard drive of my mind since we met almost ten years ago. And that no anti virus program in the world is capable of removing it. The only way to get rid of her is to get rid of my hard drive. The tech geek has some nerves!

Preposterous, the only problem is that I have to keep contact with her all the time. Other than that I barely think of her. Then there is the problem that she is one of the few sane friends I have, so when I am in public I have to talk to her. Talking to anyone else would just lead me to honestly hurting someone. Despite the fact that our conversations are not often filled with anything, but mocking, sarcasm and insults.

Speaking of the little midget, he's thumb wrestling with Bryan and from the outrageous gestures that Bryan seems to be making, it seems that the twerp is winning.

After the fourth world championships two years after BEGA Hiromi did not take my coming back to stay with the team, but still blading with the Blitzkrieg Boys in the fourth tournament lightly. She was mad and refused to talk to me at first, but since she couldn't make that work our conversations resorted to what they are now.

I cringe as I think of our past arguments. Of course, she notices this, and looks up at me like I am a psychopath then continues listening to Kenny's ranting with a sour look on her face and her maroon eyes narrowed in anger.

I sigh and take a sip of my coffee. I would like things to get back to the way they with her, it was nice talking to her, she wasn't judgmental and she actually cared, oh sure, she still isn't judgmental and she still cares, probably as much as I do, but now all of that is laced with a thick layer of contempt, scorn and mocking.

Jim is working away on his laptop, Kenny is too engrossed to even notice something as patent as that.

If you ask my opinion the unlikeliest people joined this organization. Speaking of which hearing Kenny go on and on, about things like the Tala's brawl with a police officer last week, reminds me why is he the head of this organization? When he wasn't even the founder?

Oh yes, I would have the brunette next to me to thank for that. Since it was in one of our late night talks that we mused about starting an organization to shut down people like my grand father and Boris, when I actually decided to actually get working on that plan when I was able enough, as in when I inherited Hiwatari Enterprises after Voltaire's death she was the first one I turned to. After much turning a deaf year to me and ignoring me like every time I came back from Russia and lectures I only listened to because I like her voice, I mean because I wanted to get on her good side, she agreed to help me.

We talked to Ray, Max, Tyson, Daichi and chief who were luckily across the hall they were in. Tyson was the jack ass to point out that we would need an in-charge; Daichi would be the idiot who said it should be either Hiromi or me, and Max was the pin brain who said we should both be in-charge. And when all three of them shut up, I had a death glaring Hiromi in front of me with her arms folded. Ray suggested that someone with brains should be in-charge, making Kenny the perfect man for the job.

His actual intentions were probably, that if Hiromi and I were in-charge together because we were now worst with our bickering than her and Tyson, so we'd probably get nothing done; and that we would abuse our power and exhibit tyrannical behavior. Like chief here was better than us. Right! And if had gotten down to voting between us, someone would have died. I doubt if I'd killed Hiromi even if she had won, but I would have seriously harmed those who'd have voted for her.

So, if she would have backed out, I would have been in charge and none of us would be listening to Hiromi. This is all her fault. Wait in God's name would I want to be in charge of this pack of hormonal, kiddy idiots. I don't want Hiromi to be either, she was not going to be the boss of me, nor would I want her to have the satisfaction that she might have beat me. Okay, so Kenny was the right choice, maybe that's why I agreed to agree with the others in the first place. Wait… was Ray actually implying that Hiromi and I lack brains. Never mind. I am not brooding on that.

None of us blade professionally anymore, of course I do still train with Dranzer, and Tyson and I still have our all out battles whenever I come to Japan, which is quite often.

Who else is here? Oh yeah, probably everyone since Kenny would pull out the insides of anyone who'd have not come, and fed it to them. Oh dear God, why did I get caught up between these people.

Oh yes, Queen, she seems to playing a video game that Joseph, who is balancing a pencil on his nose right now, apparently leant to her. Raul is reading a book in the little light that is available here. Miguel is trying to listen to whatever the chief is saying, but his eyes keep falling from sleep, and probably boredom.

Another hour passes with the same mind numbing speech and me having finally laid my head down on the table, when suddenly someone slams their fist on the table. I notice that the sound came from very close to my left, oh boy, Hiromi. I lift my head up and stretch my hands. I can see her outline standing now, her hands gripping the edge of the table.

Miriam being closest to the light switch turns all the lights on.

"This is it!" Hiromi yells, slamming her fist on the table.

I flinch; her voice can be painful when she's angry. I feel sleepy, I look up at her with half lidded eyes, and she glares at me in response.

"Hiromi," Kenny says into the mike. "You ruined my train of -"

Hiromi interrupts him and begins her own rant. "What train of thoughts? You are just ranting about stupid statistics! And petty accidents that have happened in a long course of five years, more than fourteen hundred and sixty days! I can't believe I missed my college class for this. You called us from each corner of the globe. Why Kenny, what made you do it? And the rest of you!" She pauses to accusingly point at everyone. "No one even listens to the poor guy, okay so these stats are beyond, beyond boring, more boring than listening to Tyson rant about how great of a blader he is, but the least you could do is listen to him in the spirit of this organization. Speaking of Tyson."

Hiromi turns around to look at the former world champion sleeping away and Daichi next to him. Oh this is going to be painful, for them, not for me, highly amusing for me. She leans towards my side of the table, slams her fists on the it very close to both their heads.

Daichi is the first to get up, sputtering and trying to adjust his eyes to the surrounding. Tyson wakes up a few seconds after, moves his head around still shocked, and starts speaking, "I totally agree with whatever Hiromi says, definitely, and Kai, he's right too, I was about to say the same thing." Tyson finishes and looks around him helplessly for support.

I hear crickets chirping in response and the sound of the filer rubbing against the Pop Bitch's nails. The veins in Hiromi's hands and necks are quite visible. She's flexing her hands as if she's going to attack, even at this age she is as violent and rash as she was nine years ago.

"Don't hurt me." Tyson begs, covering his face with his hands.

"Coward," I cough out.

Hiromi turns to glare at me, and I give her one of my cheeriest smiles, the ones that can make hell freeze twice over. She doesn't react. I guess those spawned in hell suffer little effect.

She turns back to Kenny. "And honestly, Kenny, if you call us one more time for something like this…."

She continues like this for about fifteen minutes until Kenny is at the point of promising never ever to hold a meeting without consulting her, in midst of it Tyson tells me about five times how much he loves it when Hiromi yells at someone other than him, an then she stops. Huffs and sits back on her chair, looks at me and gives me a glare, then goes onto glaring at the ceiling.

Kenny adjourns the meeting, telling everyone to be back tomorrow at nine sharp for their assignments, and starts packing his stuff.; eager to disappear before people try to chop him up. People start getting up, yawning, and make their way to the exit. Kenny is the first one ready to leave.

Miriam who is beyond pissed, and with good reason too, walks on over to Hiromi, she sighs, "I was gonna rope Kenny, but he bailed. I am not closing up. Now that I know that my building has survived this meeting, you, you lock up!"

Hiromi resigns and takes the keys from the blunettes extended hand, who stomps off grabbing Max's hand and drags him with her. We were one of the few people that are still left in the room. Hiromi turns around to look at me. It's cruel how the devil-ish face can be transformed so quickly to look so innocent. I am roped. No point in arguing.

"C'mon," I say getting up. "Let's get this over and done with."

"I owe you nothing; I never asked for your help, Hiwatari, you offered it." Hiromi says getting up, ignoring my extended hand. "Keep that in mind. Now c'mon, let's get this done."

She pushes the chair in and makes her way towards the door. I look up at the ceiling and shake my head. This is going to be a long night.

* * *

**AN: I can't believe I'm starting another damned multi chaptered fic. O.O, fabulous. Hope everyone liked it. This has been going on in my mind since last day of last year's summer vacation. :P **

**Please, R and R.**

**This one is gonna a have a long list of Thank you-s I've been avoiding for so long. But it's been mean of me, so here I go:**

**_PS: I love you_, thank you to _Ms. Iqbal, Giulietta Marescotti, Anime Onnanoko, AquilaTempestas Dead-bY-n0w, Tyhiltwilover, Ms. Controversy, cOOlzanimeaDDict, Kawaii-Chibi-Kai_ and_ sky_ d for reviewing it.**

**_Bah! Humbug!_, thank you to _tyhiltwilover, Kawaii-Chibi-Kai, Ms. Controversy, sky d _and _Dead-bY-n0w_ for reviewing it.**

**_Want Ads!_, thank you to _Ms. Iqbal tyhiltwilover, Moonlight Serenity, Kawaii-Chibi-Kai, Hitomix, Kiray Himawari_ and_ Dead-bY-n0w_ for reviewing it.**

**_Laughter, _thank you to _Dead-bY-n0w, Moonlight Serenity, AquilaTempestas _and_ Kawaii-Chibi-Kai_ for reviewing it.**

**_Year of 2003_, thank you to _Ms. Iqbal, AquilaTempestas, Tyhiltwilover, sky d, Kawaii-Chibi-Kai _and_ Dead-by-n0w _for reviewing it.**

**_Bitter Sweet Win_, thank you to _Kawaii-Chibi-Kai, shiks _and_ Moonlight Serenity_ for reviewing it. =D**

**_Even Fly_, thank you to _tyhiltwilover, Christopher Scott, Dead-bY-n0w, Rosa Cotton, RennFlight, _and_ Kawaii-Chibi-Kai_ for reviewing it.**

**_Broken Promise_, _Ms. Iqbal, Dead-bY-n0w, sky d, Tyhiltwilover, Kawaii-Chibi-Kai_ and _AquilaTempestas_, thank you for reviewing it.**

**Miss. Iqbal, thank you for reviewing a lot of other things too. And dude, please make an account, it won't kill you. :P**

**Thank you to all those who people read and faved these fics, you guys are all awesome. And anyone who read faved or reviewed any of the old stories.**

**Now that's a load off my chest. Whew.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm tired of writing this. **

**12:17 27th April, 2012.**


	2. Walk Down Memory Lane

_**Chapter 2: Walk Down Memory Lane **_

We walk around for a while locking up rooms which were still open, talking about general things; she tells me about her college classes, how they've been going, I tell her about how things have been going in Russia, the swearing and condescension is minimal, there is a weird amenability in these conversations; they seem very superficial and artificial.

I wonder if Hiromi notices this too, but she doesn't say anything. I would apologize to her, to get things back to normal, but I can't, not because as Tyson would put it 'I'm almighty Kai afraid of saying what I feel', but because it wouldn't be honest, I am not sorry for having left the team again, I had to take the last shot at getting to be the world champion, she of all people should understand that. Though the way that I left, and cutting off all contacts with her again through the course of the competition is something I am sorry for, maybe one day I'll have the nerve to admit that. Besides I don't think I'd like to go back to the way we were, fighting and bickering , gives me more of an opportunity to interact with her, thought I can't help fear that one day this will completely tear us apart.

Hiromi stops speaking, and so do I, not having anything to say at the particular moment. The building seems eerie at night without the employees working and the kids training. It has that creepy look that the abbey had twenty four-seven. I still need to get something done with that place. After Ian and Bryan graciously blew the place up, it's been in the same shambles. I never have the nerve to get something built down there. It just doesn't feel right. Sure, a new place will help get rid of the terrible memories associated with so many kids, but it's hard to wrap my mind around.

While I try to find the key to Miriam's office, from the huge set of keys, Hiromi decides to amiably ditch me, to go off somewhere. I decide that looking for her would take longer than locking up the rest of the rooms, so I continue making my way through the building locking the place up. I pity the Miriam who does this each night; it is a long and monotonous job.

Walking into the records room which has the details of past tournaments, it's hard even for me to not feel slightly nostalgic; it also has the large portraits of each championship winners. I make my way towards the nineties and early two thousands.

There is a picture of me with the Blade Sharks, there was never any friendship between me and Carlos or any of the others, we all just had a mutual goal, and mutual plans for the fulfillments of that goal. But even in the picture I can see the happiness I felt that day, I felt that I had proved myself worthy; I was the best.

I shake my head at how delusional I was, in all aspects, thinking that just because of I was the best because I won the championships, there are thousands of people who don't take part in tournament, you may never determine who's best, and no one can remain the best forever; considering being the best to be so important to me, not realizing that there were things much more important and that people who love me will care for me even if I wasn't the best. Sure, I still haven't wrapped my thoughts around the concepts completely, even now. A thirteen year life time's worth of life policies don't get wiped out from your mind that quick, though it has been ten years since I realized the errors of my way. I sweat drop as I think of this. I guess I have to work on it.

Next in line is the picture of the first time I won the championships with the Bladebreakers, all of us are wearing medals. _I_ even look happy here, I feel proud of myself even though I lost my match. I learnt an important lesson and made some important realizations at Lake Baikal; and that there is a group of people who actually care for me despite all my short comings.

After that is the second year with the Bladebreaker; Max and Tyson and won their match against Zeo and his partner, and we became champions second year in a row. We got more sense of the value of our bit beasts, Hiromi joined the team, and I found for myself in her a great friend whom I could trust and count on to kick my ass. The picture is the same which Ray keeps on his table, and I in my wallet. Tyson holding the cup, Ray laughing, Max winking and Kenny tripping, and Hiromi dragging me into the photo at the last moment; I wonder if a time will come when this picture will fail to be my favorite.

Smiling, I make my forward towards the championships before BEGA, I have never see this picture before, no one bothered keeping it, I guess. The picture has Tyson holding the trophy, Kenny and Daichi behind him, the latter of whom is cheering. I note that Hiromi is not in it, I will have to ask her about this some time.

Next is another great picture from the same year, it's not of any championships, but of the day Tyson defeated Brooklyn, the last match of the Justice Five tournament. The picture has everyone who was against BEGA that year. In the front is the G Revolution team. Tyson, battered and bruised is grinning from ear to ear, Max and Daichi are on either sides of him, Ray is a little towards the back, close to the White Tiger X team, Hiromi and I are standing towards the side of the picture, I am all wrapped up like a mummy. This is another great picture.

And then last is the picture of the championships after BEGA, the last tournament any of us participated in. Ironically it has two teams in it; Bladebreakers –minus me – and the Blitzkrieg Boys. The same teams made it to the final again, and it was a draw all over. Though ironically Tyson and I, we didn't get to battle. Mr. Dickenson decided to deny the teams of the privilege of who got to battle who. In this photo we're not holding the trophy because well, Mr. Dickenson forgot to bring it. At the back row are Tala, Bryan and Spencer; Kenny stands here in front, behind his is Daichi being his usual idiotic self, behind him is Hiromi – pointedly making an effort to look sulky an ignore me – standing between me and Tyson and finally next to Tyson are Max and Ian. This was a very awkward picture, we were all satisfied with how the tournament ended, but not completely jubilant; and Hiromi was being persistent at remaining mad at me.

It's the last picture that has anyone I know in it. I turn around one time looking at the dozens of pictures covering each wall; each one filled with happy faces I can't help but wonder how those who had lost that day felt, probably like I did, when the fourth picture was being taken.

Making my way out of that room, I continue my chore, checking to see if each door was locked and locking the ones that were not. I don't come across Hiromi anywhere and wonder if she left. I finally reach the top floor again, which is the head quarters for our organization, which we had decided to name G Revolution, it seemed a name as good as any, and G Revolution was originally the first organization formed against Boris Balcov, and it also had quite a number of people that are a part of this one, so, it just felt appropriate.

After being done with locking up all the offices, I make my way towards the conference room where we all were a bit earlier this night. I open the double doors to see the lights open; I can't see her anywhere, and by anywhere I mean anywhere, I even look under the giant table.

I made my way towards the balcony and open the door and sure as anything, I see Hiromi standing there looking at the dingy alley behind the BBA building. I sigh and take a step in; another step and I'm leaning against the railing against just like the brunette, who is the virus plaguing my mind. The gallery is pretty narrow; it's actually a fire escape, not a terrace for people to spend their leisure time in, and two steps led me to the end of it. I look down at the ground below; we're on the thirty-third floor and it's a pretty huge fall. She seems zoned out; I can't tell why she wants to stand here, looking down at the deserted alley.

"You done, or did you waste an hour looking for me?" Hiromi asks without looking at me.

I narrow my eyes. "I locked up the place. Now please let's get out of here."

Hiromi shakes her head. "You go; I'll lock up and leave after a while."

I don't answer her; I just stand there looking down at the alley. "How long are you here for?" Hiromi asks turning to look towards me.

"Depends upon Kenny and his meetings," I say looking at her. "And what assignment I get. Last time I got stationed in South America; turned out that the man who was responsible for the kidnappings and all the experiments was a student of the abbey."

"What?" Hiromi asks in shock, the mask of hardness gone from her face.

"I recognized him, he was a couple of years older than me," I say to her.

"Oh," she replies not knowing what else to say.

"Did he escape from the abbey?" she asks looking at me, her eyebrows furrowed.

"No," I decline with a shake of my head. "When Voltaire ended up in jail and I got the abbey tore down, all the kids got released, he was one of them."

"Oh God, that's terrible; he got freedom from that hell, and that's how he repays you: following your grandfather's footsteps; that's terrible." Hiromi says her hands gripping the railing, she clearly sounds pissed.

"A lot of people died wanting the freedom that he got." I say thinking of the man I had gotten arrested a few months ago. He felt no remorse for what he was doing; he considered it to be revenge for his childhood being ruined; it was sadistic and it irked me; nothing could justify what he was doing to those kids.

Hiromi sighs deeply, there's not much room here, and I can feel her breath on my face. "You should really do something about the abbey."

"Call it sadistic," I say looking square into her eyes, her eyes always remind me of my own, just a whole lot darker. "But I just like seeing that place as a wreck."

"That's not right, Kai," Hiromi's voice sounds a lot gentler, she places her hand on my own; I try not to draw back mine, too much contact, I'm still not use to it. I don't say anything in response to her words. I'm confused, why is she suddenly being so nice? Is she alright? She could show her care through a thick layer of scorn and contempt, is she by any chance trying to patch things up?

"Kai, I know they're bad memories connected with that place," she pauses and takes hold of my other hand. "I know that place is a huge part of you and you don't want to lose it, but you have to let go, watching a piece of land in a state of relapse and ruin isn't going to change your past. You have to stop clinging to the past; start the construction of something in that place, a change of scenery at that place will be a good solace and way of moving on for everyone who ever stayed there."

Hiromi stops and let goes of my hands, and draws back from me. I take in each word she says, I can tell she is truly concerned, she always has been when it came to issues of the abbey and everyone and anyone who suffered in it.

"Maybe I should just sell off the place," The idea comes into my mind and I tell her to get her two cents on it. What to do with the abbey is something that has been bothering me ever since it came under my control, and I honestly want to get the load of it off my chest.

"That's just stupid, Kai." Hiromi says flatly, her eyes narrowed. Ah, there goes the niceness; I smile inwardly, nice to have her back. "You have to face your fears, selling the place or keeping it in a state of wreckage and mutilation won't make a difference."

I blink at her words and try to think over them. It is kind of peaceful in this place, constricted, but quiet; I can see why Hiromi made her way here. If I look not at the ground but up, it's kind of even nice to look at, the Japanese night sky is always, no matter where you are. As always, it's hard to decide on anything and I try to let go of the thoughts.

Hiromi's voice clearly shows that she's annoyed. "Why are you so confused?"

"I don't know what to do," I say, taking a deep breath. "Even if I do decide to tear down the place and start something new, but what would I build there? It's a huge decision, it should be something which symbolizes a change, an end of the tyranny that went on there; the abbey should be replaced with something completely opposite."

"How about an orphanage?" she asks all of a sudden; she turns around to lean against the railing.

"I've thought over it, but no, it doesn't feel right." I follow suit and turn around too. "I want it to be something that's connected to me; I don't want to lose that place."

Her voice sounds resigned. "Kai, I honestly do not get what you want to do with that place."

I've thought about resignation too, but the thought keeps tugging at the back of my mind. "Come to Russia one day, I'll show you the abbey, and then you'll understand."

"Probably not," Her voice sounded down; I can't help but wonder why. I look at her face to find traces of the reason, but it is as composed as before. I turn away. "I wouldn't even then be able to understand; I haven't gone through what you have, I wouldn't be able to understand why this is so hard for you."

Her words catch me off guard and suddenly, for the first time in my life, my scarf feels too tight around my neck. "No, that's not it," I say immediately.

Hiromi doesn't answer; she no longer faces me, her face is turned towards the sign of the building next door, a curtain of chocolate brown hair conceals the side of her face from view.

"You're always the person I talk to about the abbey, Boris, Voltaire, wanting to be the world champion," I pause for a second. "There's a reason I want to see the place and give your opinion before doing anything."

Hiromi turns her head and I can see her face once again. Her eyebrows are furrowed and she's biting her lip. I don't get why she's being so apprehensive. Even if she doesn't understand, what's the big deal?

"Can you come?" I ask, as good a time as any to ask, and I needed something to say. I've been wanting for her to come to the abbey; I wanted her opinion before considering doing something with the place.

"Sure," Hiromi says in a cheery voice. "Though as soon as Kenny and classes permit."

"Right," I say with a smirk.

"Now come on," she says taking a step towards the door and ushering me to follow; I stare at her for a second before my brain responds to her words.

Before I could reply, she arches an eyebrow and speaks up, "What? Do you wanna stay here the whole night, in this fire escape?"

I narrow my eyes at the cockiness in her voice.

"Come on," she says grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the narrow gallery. She takes the keys from my hand and makes her way towards the light switch. She switches off the single light, shining in the entire room; I make her way towards her in the dark, she's at the same spot near the switch board.

"Slow much?" Hiromi snaps in an annoyed voice, grabbing my hand again. She pulls us out of the room, locking it with one hand. She continues to drag us both to the stair case saying she wanted to walk down a couple of floors before taking the escalator. I want to protest, but I don't, and let her drag me down with her.

"Why are you so happy and not PMSing all of a sudden?" I ask as we make our way towards the elevator after climbing down to the thirtieth floor.

Hiromi narrows here eyes and then smiles, without answering. We make our way inside the elevator and Hiromi finally speaks up, "Nothing, it's just been a long time since I last saw you, four months, I didn't want to argue."

I resist the urge to bang my head; she's being extremely vague today, it's confusing me, wait, what did she say? Did she just give a straight answer? Huh, she is right; it has been four months since I last saw her.

I blink a couple of times, not sure how I didn't realize it. Maybe that's why I was so anxious to come to Japan for this meeting; it _has _been four months since I came here, four months since I last saw Hiromi. I loosen the scarf from my neck, I see Hiromi smirk at this. I would have raised my eyebrows, but I don't. I hope I get a chance to catch up with her before we have to take off to wherever Kenny wants us to take off for. Neither of us says a word, till the elevator door dings open, enveloped in our own musings. Just as quietly we exit the building locking the main doors which require a security code.

My car is just in front of the building; I offer to drive her to her apartment, but she says it's fine and that she drove over. I nod in response and watch her as she makes her way towards her car. I can't help but notice that she looks just the same as when she did when she was fourteen. I chuckle at this thought, of course she looks older, but other than that the same short edgy dark brown hair, knee length dress with a jacket on top and sneakers; yup, exactly the same, glad to see that. Attitudes pretty much the same too, she's as violent, short tempered and caring as when we were kids.

I lean against my car waiting for Hiromi get to hers which is parked on the opposite side of the lain. Turning her head around to look back at me a couple of time, she walks over to it, gets in and puts it in reverse and pulls it onto the lain. She then looks at me in the rear view mirror; sticking her head out of the window, waves a good bye and then drives off.

Unable to help it, I smirk as I enter the car; maybe I'll go see her before the meeting, I think it's about time I patched things up with her. I don't want wake up one day to find her gone, and then finding the first trace of her to be invitation accompanied with a scoffing Ian in front of my bedroom door one day. It's not like I like her in that way, but I want to be friends with her again, close friends, like before I blew up and joined the Blitzkrieg Boys for a second time, and then we can see what happens… though I can't deny the thought of Hiromi being with someone even with my knowledge, and not out of the blue, seems pretty terrible to think about.

I bang my head on the steering wheel, I cannot believe I'm thinking this way about Hiromi, well Hiromi is the only girl I've ever actually thought about so, this isn't all that big of a shock. Ian is right she is slowly taking over my hard drive, I mean my mind. I need to sleep over, that is the only thing I think of as I drive over to the dojo.

* * *

**Wow, an update withing month, my personal best. *grins* I hope everyone liked this chapter; sorry if Kai was OOC, but it's kinda hard to write it in his POV without going slightly OOC. :P Poison by the All American Rejects and Box of Stones of Benjamin Leftwich, two very awesome songs, these two were the ones I was listening to while I wrote this chapter. *dances***

**Thank you to _Moonlight Serenity, Smile-bestthingintheworld, cOOlzannimeaDDict_ and _Dead-by-n0w_ for reviewing. Thank you to the favers, alert-ers and readers. xD**

**Oh, and those who haven't read my fics before, I tend to only use the Japanese name of Hilary, that is I use Hiromi, but the rest of the names are of the English version, that is because I like the name Hiromi, much more than Hilary. Thought I'd point that out. I last did in chappy 1 of_ A Stitch in Time_ an year ago, about time I did it again.**

**Eight publish of the day, I'm heading off to have dinner; damn I'm hungry. Oh, one more for the night, that will be The Little Things Give You Away as soon as authoress Dead-by-now gets done beta-ing it. And the rest of the three updates after I sleep and then get up in the morning. =P Which will make it 12 updates in 24 hours. *dances***

**Hope everyone enjoyed. xD Please review. :P**

**29th May, 2012. 02:50 a.m. **


	3. Kenny, the Slave Driver

_**Chapter 3: Kenny, the Slave Driver**_

Hiromi rushes her way up the last few flights of stair, yelling at me to move me feet. There is no way I would run like her; it's only been twenty minutes since the meeting must have started. We're not _that _late; I'm comfortable walking at my preferred pace. Hiromi, however, hasn't stopped to breathe since we entered the BBA building _and_ she's the one who's been running, while I've been following her lazily up the stairs.

Someone remind Miriam to get the elevator fixed; if I have to climb this stairway up to the thirty-third floor one more time, someone is going to end up in the abbey. Okay, it was inadequate of me to mull over that. This is what I was talking about the last night! I need to do something with the abbey before I have someone ended up there in one of my flying rages. Which reminds me of something else; maybe I should look up those anger-management classes that Hiromi got all those years ago…

"Kai," her voice sounds shrill as she turns her head back to look at me, not even pausing when she's speaking. "Kenny is going to kill us; would it kill you to pick up the pace?!"

Stopping in my steps, I cock my head to the side and chuckle at her words. There is no reaction; she doesn't even turn to look back at me, aside from continuing to move up the steps till she disappears up a flight. Still standing here with a small smile on my face, I heard her shout from somewhere above me, "Move your legs, Kai!" I can hear her panting and her feet pounding against the stairs. Ah, so she was finally tired of running like she was being hunted. "Pretend this is a race, are you gonna lose to me?"

Rolling my eyes, I start moving again to catch up with her, unable to help my mouth from twitching at the corners. My thoughts drift toward what assignment Kenny has for me, and who would be my partner. Last time, I ended up in South America with Jim; those were unentertaining three months. It better be someone tolerable or else Kenny will seriously suffer at my hand, or I'll hijack Dizzy, that'll get Chief to comply to my wishes.

Climbing the final fight of stairs, winded and panting, I enter the lobby in front of the conference room. Hiromi's standing in front of the door, hunching down with her hands on her knees to support her weight. I smirk smugly as I make my way over to her. So, in my not-so-sober yet not-drunk-state last night, I decided that for the moment I was going to nothing about the Hiromi-issue. I was only going to be here for two more days before heading off to wherever I'm shipped, so it wasn't as if I _can_ do much in the little time we have here together…well I can, but our relationship is far too complicated and hassle is something I am not in the mood to afford. Especially considering how to neurotic Hiromi can be.

Stalling appears to be good for now; I have to leave and stalling is the easiest choice, but then again, I'll never have a long enough chance but I try to ignore the fact for the time being. The only person who'll decide my fate is me; I still live by this belief even though it is necessarily untrue.

It was only when ten minutes were left for the meeting to start, did either of us remember that we were due and were at least twenty minutes away from _just _the building. After a few seconds of Hiromi trying to recompose herself; with how freaked out she had been and how haphazardly she had been running, it was apparent she was looking and feeling like a mess, we finally enter the conference room.

All eyes turn to us as the double doors swung open in midst of what, apparently, had been a very stern and momentous meeting. The whole ambiance of the place seems profoundly different than last night; there is no hanging air of tedium or inattentiveness, everyone seems legitimately attentive to what was going on -that is, before we interrupted- and Kenny seems to be casting a far more intimidating aura, you can tell that by just the way he's standing behind his podium at the moment, glaring down at us.

Being late would have been a lot less awkward if it wasn't the two of _us _late; and to be precise, if it wasn't the two of us late _together_. Each eye in the room is staring at us unashamedly and their expression is plainly accusatory; it seems they believe that we were late on purpose. When you've known people long enough, and have lived and travelled together – as all us bladers have, unfortunately, known each other- not many a thoughts and instances remain private or unnoticed. All these vultures disguised as former-bladers and now-somewhat-spies are always looking for something to use as a distraction from the usually-foreboding-and-life-threatening routines. Hiromi and I are, unfortunately, one of those distractions. It's been barely a minute since we entered and the awkward air that got created as we came in together is already choking.

There is a palpably fake cough from Tala, who is smiling at us from across the room. Kenny's glare directed at us intensifies even more than before, and its times like these that have me believe that he has really matured from the twelve-year-old boy I first met.

Hiromi and I quickly make our way to the two empty seats at the entire conference table, located at the edge of the table, and settle in inconspicuously. A scrutinizing glance that reminded my vaguely of Mr. Dickenson is cast at us as we discreetly take our seats next to each other, with me at the corner and Hiromi in between me and Ming Ming.

Kenny resumes speaking in a rather biting tone and, soon enough, all the attention drifts away from the two of us and back on our dear leader. I had a hunch that this was going to be a longer meeting than the one before.

-xxx-

Each person who was at the conference yesterday is also present today. The only few people missing – today and yesterday – are those who are still involved in their past missions to the extent that they can't afford to visit in fear of risking detection, and others – two – who are missing in action.

I try not to think about that too much. I'm sure Wyatt and that girl, from Barthaz's old team are fine. Miguel hasn't forgiven himself for leaving without her, and I am yet to forgive myself for having involved Wyatt in my twisted world of blading in the first place. Just because I don't want them to die, doesn't mean they _won't._

I glance at Hiromi – who has been rather quite throughout the entire meeting, owing to our conspicuous entrance – to see her looking down at the sheet of paper on the table in front of her, her head turned away from me and a curtain of chocolate brown hair hiding her face from my, along with everyone else's, view.

She was another person whose life wouldn't be on the line if I hadn't gotten her involved in blading, or if I hadn't revealed the wrongs of the world that was my past to her. Hiromi might be a nagging, short-fused, screaming banshee and her attitude might make me tremble in anger half the time we're in each other's company, but I wouldn't want her to get a scratch on herself, particularly because of me.

Kenny, who's giving the impression of being in a rather sour mood, is announcing the new delegations for those who have completed their previous assignments. I wonder if it was our tardiness or if he was in a resentful mood all on his own. I'd pledge for the former. Whenever it's a critical meeting, Kenny's usually monotonously ranting attitude turns into the motivating and obligating address of a leader worth following.

Right now the BBA technician – for show, that is, he doesn't have time to be a technician along with running this bureau – is announcing the partners for the new assignments and then calling the newly assigned cells to give them a briefing for the mission. Almost everyone has been delegated, I am one of the few people yet to be given their assignments.

"Hiromi Tachibana. Kai Hiwatari."

I choke at my spit and ignore a thud from beside me.

There are muffled chuckles from the crowd. If Kenny wasn't in such a serious mood, I'm certain there would have been cat-calls and wolf-whistles. These people _really_ need lives.

If I wasn't usually so composed, I would have hit my face on the table. Hiromi actually just did; her face had been resting on her elbow, and it lost balance soon as she heard the chief's words, resulting in her face landing on the wooden surface. That was why I heard the thud.

I, on the other hand, – minus the choking on my saliva – am still staring impassively at everyone at the table, apparently unconcerned. In my mind, however, there's a banshee screaming in denial…or maybe it's Hiromi screaming next to me.

I crane my neck slightly to look at her. Nope, she's gawking with her mouth open at Kenny. It's definitely my inner voice protesting against this merciless responsibility that has been shoved onto me. Me and Hiromi, Hiromi and me; one of our worlds is officially ending.

"No way!" Hiromi shouts, speaking for the first time since we got here. Muttering a string of colorful curses, she begins stomping her way across the room.

I watch her stalk away, fuming, and the others are all still snickering.

"Kenny," she growls, climbing up the steps to the platform, her face is one of pure outrage, the kind that used to be reserved for just Daichi, when we were younger, and now -Daichi still, but more often- me. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

If the boy wasn't as dedicated to his job as he is, and if he was still the shy and nervous little Kenny from back when he was in his early teens, Hiromi's raw wrath released solely upon him would have probably made him wet himself.

However it didn't keep his voice from wavering though, "Hiromi, please, try to understand."

"What is there to understand, Chief?!" Hiromi bites out each word scathingly.

Kenny makes his way off the podium, leaving her staring at his retreating back. His gesture indicates that we follow him, so he can give us the details of our assignment. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I follow my _new _partner – who was still standing indignantly at the top of the stage, near the podium – across the room, while Kenny is waiting for us at his desk.

Eyes follow me as I climb the first step of the staircase. "Hiromi," I hiss, glaring at her pointedly. "Get down from there."

She ignores my words, but gets down anyway and, together, we go over to where Kenny is seated, waiting for us at his desk.

"Come see me tomorrow at my office somewhere in the evening, and I'll give you the details."

"Why not _now_?" I ask, towering over him with my hands folded.

"Too many details I have to discuss, and in private." he answers.

"I am _not _working with her." I snarl simply, ignoring the fact that Hiromi is right next to me, and the rather civil time we spent this morning.

"He's right, Kenny," Hiromi's voice seems calmer. "I am not working with this shallow jerk."

I ignore her words.

Kenny grumbles unintelligibly under his breath; he whispers lowly, so the rest of the room doesn't hear, "Boris might be out of prison."

Hiromi isn't the only who's face lost its composure, I seriously think my jaw dropped too.

"Yes," he continued tentatively, rubbing his temples with two fingers, "there's a reason I put you two together. I'm gonna have to listen to you two bitch, too."

I'm the first one to snap out of my shell shock, "No way!"my voice is a snarl without my intending it to be. "We cannot work in sync on a project like this! We can't cooperate together!"

This is a whole new ball game. Having to spend a _lot _of time with Hiromi was unappealing- yet pleasing all the same, though in a way I wouldn't prefer- and her rash personality involved with Boris? I am not going to risk that!

Kenny shrugs. "Well, you have to."

Hiromi is quiet but her face seems decisive. Her anger seems to have vanished. I, on the other hand, am seething. There is no way we're working together to bring down Boris.

"Pair us up with someone else –" I offer.

Kenny narrows his eyes. "No." he answers flatly. "Be in my office tomorrow."

"Kenny, are you sure about Boris?" Hiromi's voice seems nervous and vulnerable.

There's a sigh from the chief, "I'm pretty certain."

Hiromi purses her lip and it seems apparent that all her anger is gone now; even her hatred for me seems to have disappeared. "It's fine with me. Working with Kai, that is. As long as we can stop Boris."

My eyes widen.

"Thanks, Hiromi," Kenny tells her gratefully while looking at me pointedly. Hiromi's words have left me tongue-tied and I don't know how to handle this situation anymore. She wants to stop Boris?! Oh God. I need to stop her! Her hatred for the situation being as potent as mine was the only thing I was counting on, and having known of stopping Boris, it's gone now.

"Whatever," she mutters in condescending tone. "I'm leaving." She stands there for a moment, looking contemplative, and then walks off without muttering like the insane human being she is.

I need to get us out of this mess – us, as in, me and Hiromi- since she's far too hot-headed and obsessed with stopping Boris to care for anything. There is no way I'm letting her involved in this mess.

She leaves the room slamming the door – over dramatic little minx – but Kenny is understanding and doesn't protest. The rest of the clowns in the room have lost interest in our situation and have gone back to their own doings; chatting and goofing off.

I turn back to Kenny to try and reason against him.

"Not a word, Kai," his tone has a finality I can't question. I have no choice, at least not for the moment.

I take a calming breath, but it sounds more like a growl, "Fine."

I head back to my seat as he calls, "Brooklyn Kingston, Ming Ming Love."

Oh yeah, with MingMing, he gives her a partner she'd love to have. Biased asshole. I stalk all the way across the room to my seat and slump in, fully ignoring Kenny and the rest of this meeting even more efficiently than before.

-xxx-

Empty and traffic-less roads have always drawn me to go on long drives. Driving at full speed on a vacant road always helps me clear my thoughts; and when the road belong to my birth place of Moscow, it makes it all the more better. The snow covered environ makes it far more, easier to clear my thoughts.

Hiwatari Enterprises will be running without its CEO for another indefinite period of time. Those who will be playing in charge have been informed of their duties. Everyone at Voltaire's mansion has been informed that I will not be returning for quite some time, again. Yes, Voltaire's mansion, not home. It's not my home even if I do own the place; I have never spent time there long enough or made fond memories at the place for it to be ever considered as such. The dojo, there once was a time I would have regarded as such, but not anymore.

For a long time, there hasn't been any place I could actually consider home. I've lived in a lot of places in the years gone by, but none of them have the sentimental manifestation of a home; they've just been a roof above my head during the few late hours of the night. I am not sixteen anymore and I no longer have the stamina to live on the streets.

Speaking of living accommodations, I pass by an apartment complex in downtown Moscow and I step harder on the gas pedal. This will be the place I'll be _pretending _to be my home from the next few days. Investigating about Boris's whereabouts and doings we need to be inconspicuous and though our faces aren't as recognizable as before, it's better to live unobtrusively in the busy downtown of Moscow. Hiromi and I, it'll be the two of us, in _Russia. _I growl at the very thought and step harder on the gas pedal.

This is going to be problematical. She should be in Japan, safe and sound, still badgering my ear off, but on occasional phone calls. I have tried all that I could in the three days I had left in Japan. Kenny, being the tyrannical little bastard he's turned into, believes he has confidential reasons for pairing us up _and_ sending us to deal with issues in _Russia._

_Its one in the morning when I enter the BBA building, an hour before my flight to Russia; I need to take one last chance to convince Kenny to change his decision. What his motive is behind putting the two of us together, it's beyond me! Honestly, I do not care. I just do not want to spend an unknown future amount of time in Hiromi's presence and I certainly do not want her setting foot anywhere _near _Russia._

_I curse every fiber of Miriam's being_. _The damned elevators still aren't fixed. Tch. Some one _really _needs to talk to that girl again about having that thing working. I think she does these things on purpose, to take revenge on all of us. She considers our presence – particularly when there are more than a few of us who are present – very unconscientiously._

_It's rather immature of her; she's the in charge of a world wide beyblade organization, and she needs to learn to deal with the responsibilities. Then again, housing and being a cover of an illegal organization that aims to bring down _other _illegal organizations, was probably not on the job description._

_I haven't had any interaction with Hiromi since our meeting with Kenny yesterday. She isn't pleased with the situation either, though her reasons are dominantly different than mine._

_Luckily, Kenny's office is on the tenth floor and I make it up before even breaking too much of a sweat. I reach the room labeled as being the workplace of the head-technician of the BBA. I snort at the golden plate screwed on the door and without hesitating, enter the room._

_The brown-haired boy fails to notice me entering and taking a seat on a leather chair in front of his desk, far too engrossed in his laptop._

"_Chief, visitor." the annoyingly snarky laptop chirps. "Old sourpuss is visiting. Probably wants to thank you for setting him up with Hiromi alone."_

_I could hear the suggestive smirk in her tone, but I refrained from growling._

_One day I will tear this worthless piece of electronic trash from limb to limb. Yes, I know that it won't affect the Dizzy, since she's a damned bit beast, Hiromi pointed out to me the flaw in my plot when I cited it to her, but I try to ignore it. The thought of violence directed at the mordant computer seems very fulfilling._

"_Huh," Kenny looks up from his laptop stunned for a second. A second later, he looks up at me with an eyebrow raised behind his glasses. "Kai, what are you doing here?" he asks, glancing instinctively at the clock on the wall to his left._

"_I want you to withdraw Hiromi." I state simply._

_Kenny adjusts his glasses and looks at me wearily. "No, Kai, I'm sorry, I can't. Whatever spats you have with each other, you're going to have to deal with it."_

"_Hiromi is no particular asset for this mission; anyone else will be just as proficient in the situation."_

_He sighs in response. "Dealing with Boris, we need your help."_

"_Exactly." I say, glad that we're on the same page, "Me, not Hiromi!"_

"_Boris is involved in this, Kai!" his tone is whining and his face seems exasperated. Why doesn't he understand that's exactly why I don't want her coming?! I don't care about our bitchy relationship._

"_I don't want her involved with him!" I admit finally, using it as a last straw._

_Kenny smiles up at me. "And I do not want _you _caught up with BioVolt without having someone to keep you grounded and sane."_

"_Get someone else." I protest slamming a hand against the table. "Hiromi doesn't control me."_

_He ignores my words. "I've put a lot of thought behind this, Kai." He pauses for a minute. "I've wanted to have the Boris situation permanently dealt with for a while now. I just wanted to wait for the right time to get you and Hiromi involved." He waits for another few seconds, studying my face before continuing. "You're important for this mission. And I won't send Hiromi headfirst into something like this without you."_

"_You don't have to get her involved anyways!" I growl at him, his reasons seem senseless to me._

"_I can't explain to you, if you do not want to understand. You won't understand."_

_I throw a blind card and try blackmail. "I won't agree to this."_

_The younger man looks at me incredulously. "You have to, even if I'd have to assign a third person to tow your ass everywhere."_

_I glare at him, but do not give him the satisfaction of a verbal response._

"_Trust me, Kai, no one can deal with this situation better than you –" I open my mouth to protest, but he continues before I could speak. "Better and healthily than you and Hiromi together."_

_With that, he turns his head down to a file lying open on his table. I can tell he's not paying the slightest attention to the thing, his eyes aren't even moving. I can sense that this signals the end of my audience with the slave driver of a leader._

_I exit the room without a word of goodbye, harshly shutting the door on my way out, pretending that I didn't even hear Kenny sighing a _goodbye _or Dizzy calling me a _hormonal bitch_._

Hiromi will be flying into Russia in a week and I could do nothing to prevent this calamity from happening. I swore that even though I couldn't keep her away from the precarious world of beyblading, I would certainly keep her far away from the dangers of my past life. This isn't over yet, Hiromi might be my partner in solving a crime that might involve Boris, but there is no way that damned woman is making it alive through it.

She's potent and very sharp; she could make through whatever is thrown on her even on her own. And she isn't on her own, I'll be with her, and there's no way I'm letting her leave me in any way other than choking on one of her own insults flung at me.

Her face flashes through my mind and I smirk. Instead of driving straight ahead, I make the first u-turn I can; I need to make our accommodation, which I've arranged for us, bearable for her royal pain-in-the-ass. After all, who knows how long we might have to spend in this little down-town apartment. With us living _together _and _alone _it will be quite troublesome. And I do not need Hiromi cursing up and down my line of ancestors more so than usual.

God knows Hiromi can't really handle Russia, and Russia can certainly not handle Hiromi. What the hell is that power-abusing Kenny thinking? And what the hell am I thinking trusting our life – mine and Hiromi's – on Kenny's judgment?

_-xxx-_

* * *

**AN: I am aware this is long over due. This was supposed to be written on 12th June, however many things happened, emo-attack, SasuSaku obsession, college, writer's block, lack of inspiration, college homework, Ramadan, other stuff, and then finally on 2nd day of Eid I wrote this! xD**

**Hope it was well worth the wait. :) I wrote the next chapter two days ago, and will put it up soon as _Dead-bY-now _beta-s it. Thank you to her for beta-ing this. Hope their was enough love-hate-ness for you. **

**Thank you to _SeleneAtar, Kitty Chandelle _and _Dead-bY-n0w _for reviewing the last chapter.**

**Hope everyone liked it. :)**

**Please review. I really liked writing this chapter. ;)**

**01:00 a.m. 25th August, 2012.**


	4. Falling Down the Hole

_**Chapter 4: Falling Down the Hole**_

A snowstorm is hitting the city when I go down to pick Hiromi from the airport. Kenny informed me of when she'd be arriving and told me that he'd given her directions to _our _apartment. The thought still makes me cringe, well, I've gotten barely just a weak to adjust to the prospect.

The flight coming from Japan to Russia is late, two hours late to be exact. And since I came exactly half hour before time to pick her up, it's almost three hours of me standing in the airport waiting, before Hiromi walks out of the check out area a duffel bag slung on her shoulder and a hand carry trailing behind her.

I choke back a chuckle looking at her expression, it's somewhere between annoyance and nervousness. Annoyed-Hiromi and Nervous-Hiromi they both amuse me to all extents. She's looking around the hordes of people and I wonder what she expects to see. I mean I never told Kenny to tell her I was going to pick her up, I just gave the little slave driver my new address to give to Hiromi. Being as self reliant as she claimed to be, I was sure she'd find her own way to the apartment.

However the conscience I have developed over the years didn't let me go through with the plan and I ended up at the airport waiting to drive Hiromi home.

Nonetheless none of this changes the fact that I want Hiromi out of Russia faster that I can knock beyblades out of a dish. The only option I'm left with is the one I would never want to resort to, convincing Hiromi to quit on her own with Kenny never knowing that she isn't working with me. If by some miracle whoever's up there decides to have some pity on me for once, and she agrees to this all my problems will vanish in thin air. I'll have Hiromi sent back to the somewhat safe and sound confines of Japan and I'll deal with Boris on my own.

I turn my attention back to Hiromi to see her standing in the middle of the hall looking curiously at her surroundings and the mostly Russian people. I remember that she's never been to Russia before, but her interest and curiosity catches me off guard. It looks as if though she has no intention of leaving her place in the centre of the giant airport any time soon far too fascinated by the new surroundings.

I chuckle dryly at her piquing interest and walk my way over to her. Far too absorbed in noticing all her surroundings she doesn't see me approach her from the side and stand a few feet beside her.

"Plan on standing hear the entire day?" I chuckle humorlessly.

Hiromi's fascinated face morphs into that of aggravation merely at the sound of my voice. "Who the hell told you to waste your precious time coming here?"

"I wanted to start working today and it would have probably taken you a few days to find me on your own." I mock her and watch with remorse her face contorting into one of blind rage.

"Whatever," she shrugs, forcefully calming herself down all of a sudden, something I did not anticipate. "Can we leave now?"

I take the hand trolley from her and before she can protest begin marching towards the exit. "Are you still gonna keep standing there?" I turn my head and spit out when I sense her not following me.

Hiromi opens her mouth to retort but shuts it the next second and follows me wordlessly all the way to where my car I parked. I get her luggage in the trunk and get inside the car. When Hiromi is seated in the passenger side comfortably I start the car and get us out on the roads of Russia.

Through the windows Hiromi stares in awe at the early morning Russian streets fascinated by the new surroundings. Again, I can't help but find her curiosity amusing.

"Hiromi," I start, breaking her out of her revering. "I want you to quit."

She turns her head to face me and looks at me dumbfounded. "Excuse me, what? She asks.

"I want you to quit," I repeat, keeping my eyes straight on the road. "Go back to Japan, but not tell Kenny."

"What the hell are you saying?" Hiromi protests in an annoyed tone, turning her head towards me, unable to understand my words. "I can't do that this is my job as much as yours."

"This is Boris we're gonna be dealing with here, it's important for me, and dangerous in general; I don't want you around bothering me."

There's no trace of anger on her face just embarrassment and shock. "This is my job just as much as yours, Kai." For the first time in years I hear her voice tremble. The shame I feel for causing it is indescribable and I would have closed my eyes if I wasn't driving.

I shrug. "You can quit once, no big deal. You'll be more helpful to me back in Japan." Lie. I know. Having her around would be a lot more helpful, not for my peace of mind though, and that doesn't well count.

I didn't think her face could look more hurt, but it did. "I don't care what you think; this is my job just as much as yours. I'll work if I want to; you do not have any say in it."

"Tch." I snort in annoyance and curse myself for my next choice of words, I could never say all this to her if I had been looking her in the eyes. "Why are you so desperate to tag along anyways?"

Hiromi blinks at me and her face. "I swear Kai," she starts, her voice breaking and cracking. "I would never stay here for another second with how much you want me gone, if it wasn't for the fact that this is the only present opportunity to bring down Boris and it's not something I can let go just because you want me to, I would have certainly left and never showed you my face again."

She pauses to draw in a sharp breath.

"All I've wanted since I joined the Bladebreakers is to stop all these men and women using the sport of blading to ruin the life of children, and on top of them has always been Boris. You know why, because all that he did to hurt you." She paused another time and let out a sardonic laugh. "I know that it doesn't matter to you that I care, but I do, and I won't let your irritation with me let me stop myself from doing what I want. I would say you're not worth it, but that would be a lie 'cause why would I be doing all this if it you weren't."

She finished her words and turned her head sideways to stare out the window again.

I open my mouth to retort, but its left hanging open as my mind processes Hiromi's words. "Hiromi…" is the only thing that trails out of my mouth, before it dries out, and my hands began to tremble at the steering wheel. I can't do anything other than stare at the layer of brown straight hair that hides her face from mine as she stares at the surroundings running in the opposite direction once more no longer with the previous interest.

She wanted to stop Boris because of _me_ and all that I had suffered through. The thought just boggles my mind. She cares enough to be risking her life, putting it on line just because I had at one point of life suffered at the hands of that man.

I should not have let my anger get the best of me just like that; I can't believe I insulted her like that. I screwed up, big time.

Entering the apartment with me carrying Hiromi's entire luggage we make our way quietly up the elevator and down the hall to our rooms. Unlocking the door we enter the house wordlessly the tension between us making the air in the apartment fill with strain too. Hiromi looks around interestedly at her new home a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

I thank God, at least I didn't completely break her spirit.

"That's going to be your room," I mumble awkwardly pointing at the door on the left straight ahead. "You can wash up and settle down, if you want."

She nods slowly and heads off without another word.

Shaking my head resignedly I make my way inside the kitchen and hear Hiromi shut the door behind her.

I poor out the steaming tea I just prepared into two cups and placing my own on the kitchen counter I keep the other on the square dinner table in the middle of the room. It's not that I made it specifically for her 'cause she must have been tired, but I wanted to drink tea myself and it was pointless not to make extra for her.

A while of cleaning the mess I made in the kitchen I take my tea and make my over to the very table and take a seat on one of the chairs. Gripping the tea with both hands I take a large sip letting the scorching liquid run down my throat and burn my insides.

Minutes later Hiromi walks out of what is now, her room in night gown and pajamas underneath it, Moscow is no place for shorts and tank tops even in the confines of home I'm glad she realizes that. Quietly she takes a seat across me and picks up her on tea cup and begins sipping gently pausing only to smile at me from across the table.

I swear at myself. Never will I rage at her again like that, I'll do all I can to make her realize that I meant not a word I said to her in th car. If she wants to help with bringing down Boris I will make no attempt to make her feel unwanted by my side to get her to quit and I'll do anything within my power to get her out of it unscathed.

I was the reason she was here an ocean across from her home, risking her life and keeping her anger in check just so I would let her stay. The only reason she was not against working with me was because she wanted to help me get over the demons of my past.

And for all of that she was sitting here across from me a shy smile playing on her lips as an encouraging and supporting gesture for me to trust her despite how ruthlessly I insulted her in the car.

I did not deserve any of this.

-xxx-

Seven days have passed since Hiromi arrived in Japan and I've gotten somewhat used to having her presence around twenty-four seven again after so long. I have always been a withdrawn person and human companionship never appealed much to me, and Hiromi on the other hand is a talkative, social, ranting and badgering woman who finds some sort of amusement in irking me, yet I've been finding her presence to be endurable, soothing and maybe even somewhat likable.

It was nice having another person around to voice my thoughts to other than the ever-listening yet never responding walls. Her presence is to some extent giving me a taste of a companionship I might prefer.

I am in the living room with Hiromi standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows watching the snow falling through the skyline of the city of Moscow from my thirteenth floor apartment room. It's hard for me to sit, even when I'm in the confines of the place I pretend to be my home, something about not-standing makes me feel unguarded and unprepared.

We've decided to lay low for a while and not do any snooping around in public or anything else that might raise suspicions. We're looking up online for information on Boris and to confirm that we have; it's a good thing we both know hacking – thank you to Ian – otherwise the only information we would have yet found on Boris would be the same as that of seven year old rookie blader.

Our faces might not be as recognizable as when we directly were in the blading scene, but both of us are still pretty familiar in the beyblading world and being the in charge of Hiwatari Corp. which owns quite a bit of Russia, makes me still pretty much as identifiable as I was back in the blading days.

Our missions have usually been in places which are _not_ our home countries and luckily for me, many of them have been countries where beyblading isn't a much commemorated sport thus making detection difficult. This time we're in my home country where I'm quite largely known as the Hiwatari heir and where Beyblading is a renowned sport thus making both Hiromi and me, quite distinguishable.

Besides we're new in this apartment and we wouldn't want anyone to know who we are, it'd be better if the people got used to us first and then we start our operation. This is why Hiromi and I have made a habit to leave the place a couple of times a day not so much as to get fresh air, but more so to have people believe that we're a normal couple – couple, as in two friends – sharing an apartment and certainly not working to track down and bring down a local international-criminal.

Hiromi can be careless and carefree both, a bad combination in my eyes, and something I had not expected her to be.

She gets not the tad bit worried about going in places of the public eye, shrugging and rolling her eyes that the likelihood of something bad happening even if we are identified are improbable. For all an onlooker knows, is that she's visiting her former teammate at his hometown across the ocean. In the few hours we take off for appearance's sake she's made a mission to see all of Moscow and to use me as her personal guide, visiting each new place makes her always happy.

It's the lack of lack of world wariness that makes her so incautious. And I'm somewhat glad; she should have _no reason_ to be as mistrusting as I am.

There's an intense blizzard going on outside and Hiromi and I stuck inside our little apartment with no internet and thus no way to searching up further on Boris. Leaving us with nothing to do, but entertain ourselves on our own in the confines of this little two-bedroom home.

I catch a reflection of Hiromi's hazy figure in the partially transparent glass. Her hunched figure is bending over the coffee table and her head is tilted to the side with her cheek resting on the palm of her hand which is supported on the tabletop by her standing elbow. Her face is thoughtful and her lips in a petulant – and seemingly adorable – pout as she's concentrating consecutively on both her laptop screen and the books sprawled in front of her. A pencil is stuck behind her ear and her free hand has been extending for her coffee mug for the past fifteen minutes. It's been extended to the point that it's barely an inch away from the no-longer steaming mug and yet she hasn't had a point in time to actually grasp it in her hand and bring it near her face to take a deep gulp.

Tch. I should just go and hand her the damned mug myself. Not that I can call that stuff coffee, whatever it is that lifeless stuff that she drinks it reminds me of milk with a lot of cream and a few coffee beans floating somewhere about. I don't understand why she doesn't just call it cold milk, not even warm milk because by the time she gets to drinking it, the thing is usually cold as ice.

It is unlike me to take notice of people and certainly not like me to show interest in people. However in the week Hiromi has been living with me, whenever we are submitting in for the night or she is taking a break, I see her taking out a book and reading with deep interest while doodling in the margins with a pencil, or working on her laptop typing away furiously while making notes in a notebook eyes screwed up in concentration. And at moments like these I cannot resist the desire of wanting to know what it is that gets her so interested – ask her, or walk behind her sneak a peak at – what it is she is studying that gets her so engrossed and pulls her away from the world and people around her.

These are the things I have realized I want badly to know about Hiromi among many others that I have noticed in the past weak that I do not know. I thought I knew this girl sitting on the coffee table behind me better than I did myself, but I know only a little more than what meets they eye. There is far more to know and the more time I spend watching her, the more intense does my desire of wanting to know each thing there is to know about her become. And the more I know – like the coffee thing – the more interested I become in wanting to know _even further_ more.

I shake my head and move my thoughts from Hiromi; she'll creep back in there eventually. I sigh. Once this storm clears up which will probably take a couple of days we're going to start investigating publicly. The offices of certain government officers, Russian Forces and Intelligence agencies, BioVolt offices, certain old offices and officers of Hiwatari Enterprises and a few shady bars and Moscow Prison would be the first places we'll be looking up, to find out what Boris is planning.

Hiromi getting involved in bringing down Boris is something I have finally forced myself to accept. Firstly, there is nothing left for me to do to change the situation, I can just be grateful at the fact that I am the one she has been partnered with. Secondly, her fervor and obsession of wanting to bring down Boris is so genuinely sincere that it gives me no right to stop her; it only feels me leaving grateful for being the motive for her wanting to stop the Russian criminal and guilty for what I said to her that day in the car and still having her support.

We are yet to discuss _that_ conversation again; I want to make it clear that I meant frankly none of the things I said and eliminate the hatred she must feel for wanting to help me in getting rid of the demons of my past when I claimed to not give a damn about her. She has not mentioned a word about that night and I don't know if it's because she has settled to believing in it and not letting it interfere with what she believes she has to do for a man she once admired as a friend or if she knows that I meant none of it and finds my childish temper tantrum not worth mentioning considering it was stupid and untrue from it's very core.

Despite all that the thought still makes a shiver run up my spine and the very idea of Boris even looking at Hiromi from the point of view of someone important to me makes me wanna cringe and push her behind myself and hide her from his view.

Boris is the man who is responsible for scarring my childhood, making me suffer and turning me into the emotionally crippled and bastard of a man I am, who's been hiding his somewhat-attraction towards the girl he's currently living with, waiting for as Ian puts it a wedding invitation to put himself into gear.

I turned into a cynic and the virtue of the world was lost to me at a young age, I still see that innocence in Hiromi's eyes and there isn't anything I would do to protect that faith and belief that is still alive in her that lets her sleep peacefully with one eye not open.

I sigh once more and turn away from the addicting outlook, which seems even more magnificent in the raging blizzard. Drawing the curtains close I make my way over to my new house mate. She staring at the laptop the light of the screen falling of her face and doesn't see me approach and I make a mental note to ask her soon what it is that keeps her absorb so much.

I take a seat on the chair next to her, and if she has noticed me she makes no move to show it.

Picking the cup up I place it in the grasp of Hiromi's fingers and move her hand towards her. Hiromi's furious typing stops abruptly and she looks down to stare at the coffee in her hand and my grasp on her

"Took you long enough," she looks up to snap at me, but the smile on her face indicates her shocked gratefulness, "did you not notice how long I've been trying to get my coffee for? But no, you just had to stand there gawking outside."

I raise my eyebrows and stare at her amusedly; her face seems to be going more livid by my lack of anger.

"Do you not have the common sense to help me, when you can see I'm busy," she bites out pausing to take a sip of her cold milk her eyes still trailing on a line on a book in front of her. "I swear I am, stuck with the most frustratingly inconsiderate person in the world. God only knows how and why…" she trailed off hastily into a string of murmured yet audible curses.

"Hiromi," I say amusedly, "shut up."

She glares at me malevolently an eye twitching in annoyance and the grip on the handle of her mug tightening. I resist the urge to chuckle, it's annoying to think that most thing Hiromi does make me wanna smile or chuckle. I shut the laptop screen and begin closing and piling up all the books in a crooked stack.

"Hey!" the Japanese girl protests trying to pry a book from my hand. "What the hell are you doing?"

It must be hard managing her studies being out of country half the time working; it must take a lot of effort to manage her education virtually still that is no excuse for studying herself unconscious and blind. I roll my eyes the smirk never leaving my face. "Getting you to take a little break," I answer picking the pencil gently from behind her ear.

Hiromi folds her arms across her chest glaring indignantly at the now neatly stacked pile of books standing next to her laptop. It's apparent that the idea of taking a break is displeasing for her, and being forced especially by _me _is taking a toll on her pride. "Break, alright," she seethes out, glaring between the books and my face, "entertain me then."

And at her words the smirk on my face finally wipes out, I expected her to sleep; wanting me to _entertain _her was not something I expected her to say. I pale and this time she's the one who smirks.

* * *

**AN: Wrote this a week ago. Mind you, hasn't been beta read. :P Thank you to _Moonlight Serenity _for reviewing chapter 2 and 3._ Giulietta Marescotti_ for reviewing chapter 3. And _Dead-bY-n0w _for reviewing chapter 3. ^^'**

**Review, please. :)**

**BTW. This chapter got me addicted to present tense, I can no longer write past tense anymore. *bangs head on wall***

**03:40 p.m. 28th August, 2012.**


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